The Jury: Expert Picks, Bets, and Fades for Dec. 13-14 [VIDEO]

Ashley Anderson, James Scully and Darin Zoccali declare their best bets and fades at Turfway Park and Fair Grounds!

Best Bet for Weekend Racing

James Scully:

#6 Dresden Row (9-2) in Saturday’s Prairie Bayou S., the sixth race at Turfway Park. Since breaking his maiden, the three-year-old colt’s only well-beaten effort came on turf, recording five wins, including a pair of Grade 3 stakes, and a runner-up in the Nov. 16 Autumn (G2) on the Tapeta track at Woodbine. The synthetic specialist has started to come in his last three starts for Lorne Richards, recording a nice win in the Durham Cup (G3) and a rallying second in the Autumn versus elders, and Dresden Row owns the top Brisnet Speed rating in the field, earning a 101 figure last out. The early/presser relishes the 1 1/16-mile distance (2-for-2), and I’ll look for Dresden Row to carry his form forward.

Ashley Anderson:

#12 Patches O'Houlihan (3-1) in Race 7, the six-furlong Holiday Cheer S., at Turfway Park on Saturday. The second choice on the morning line has the speed to overcome his outside draw and has posted triple-digit E2 Brisnet Speed ratings in his last nine starts. The four-year-old gelding is also in excellent form, with a 10-for-12 record over the last two seasons. In 11 starts on all-weather, he has reached the winner's circle nine times and only once finished out of the money. Most recently, he was beaten three-quarters of a length by 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) hero Nobals in the Kennedy Road (G2) on Nov. 16 at Woodbine. Prior to his runner-up finish, Patches O'Houlihan rode a four-win streak, all with rider Sofia Vives, who has the mount today. The Robert Tiller trainee also put in a bullet four-furlong workout on Dec. 4 at Woodbine, and his last-out 99 BRIS figure is the highest last-race speed figure among the field. I'll back Patches O'Houlihan over morning-line favorite #1 Howard Wolowitz (5-2) and will play the reigning Canadian champion sprinter in an exacta with Larry Rivelli pupil #8 One Timer (6-1), who is switching back to all-weather, a surface from which he owns a 3-for-3 record.

Top Fade for Weekend Racing

JS:

#7 Taxed (8-5) in Saturday’s Mistletoe S., the ninth race at Oaklawn Park. A Grade 2 winner at 1 1/8 miles in the spring last year, Taxed has developed into more of a one-turn sprinter over the last 18 months, recording her lone wins this season at six furlongs and a one-turn mile. She had no chance against the superb Two Sharp last time, but the gray filly rallied well for third in the Chilukki (G3) at one-turn mile. She did not perform at the same level in the last two route starts, finishing a well-beaten fifth in both the Groupie Doll and Locust Grove (G2), and has lost six consecutive two-turn starts. I’ll take Taxed on at a two-turn mile Saturday.

AA:

#10 Boomin' Belle (5-2) in the 1 1/16-mile Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Turf S., Race 9 at Fair Grounds on Saturday. The Get Stormy three-year-old will face older horses in her third start off the claim for trainer Mike Maker, who's 1-for-14 to start the Fair Grounds meet. The filly won a one-mile allowance at Horseshoe Indianapolis first start off the claim for Maker, then stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and had a lead at the second call before she was overtaken in the stretch and finished third by 3 1/2 lengths. She endured a similar outcome in her first try at 8 1/2 furlongs, which she attempted on Gulfstream's all-weather in March while trained by Mark Casse. Boomin' Belle again had a lead at the second call before she was caught passing the eighth pole and held on for place. Her three career wins have come between 5 1/2 furlongs and a mile, and I will stand against her going longer once again. I prefer the chances of #3 Clearly a Test (8-1) in her first try on turf for trainer Shane Wilson; #5 Dixie Farmer (8-1) and #8 Cheapskate Diva (8-1), both switching back to turf; and #11 Eye of the Pharoah (4-1), who's unbeaten from two career starts on turf.

What Else Is Worth Noting

JS:

Saturday’s Louisiana Champions Day program at Fair Grounds includes seven stakes, and the stakes action kicks off with the Classic, which will feature #5 Touchuponastar (3-5). Winner of the last two runnings of the 1 1/8-mile event, Touchuponastar is a nine-time stakes victor and earner of more than $930,000 for Jeff Delhomme. The five-year-old gelded son of Star Guitar won last year’s edition by 1 1/2 lengths over Tumbarumba, who came back to win the Fred Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream Park next out and finished fourth most recently in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Touchuponastar also held his own against open rivals last year, finishing second in the New Orleans (G2) at Fair Grounds and Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star after winning the Classic, but will be trying to rebound from a disappointing third at odds-on in the Nov. 8 Delta Mile.

Other top draws on the Champions Day card include undefeated two-year-old filly #7 Secret Faith (7-5), who will seek her fourth consecutive stakes triumph when lining up for the Lassie; #2 Hay Jude (3-1) and #4 Voila Magic (3-1), who will renew their rivalry in the Juvenile following a respective 1-2 finish in the Nov. 22 Joseph R. Peluso Memorial at Fair Grounds; and Grade 1 runner-up #5 Free Like a Girl (4-5), who will bring a three-race stakes-winning streak into the Ladies Sprint.

AA:

The Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) continues this weekend with the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Friday and the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Saturday at Los Al. Both races will award points to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 sliding scale. The Springboard Mile, in particular, will be an exciting edition with a full 12-horse field in the finale at Remington Park on Friday. Steve Asmussen, the record-holder for victories by a trainer (7) has three in the field, but all longer prices. His top chance is #8 Complex Music (8-1), who won a six-furlong allowance by eight lengths last out at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Jockey Stewart Elliott, who has had the mount on Asmussen's other two entries in the Springboard Mile, will pick up the mount on Complex Music.

Other intriguing contenders are #9 Dr Ruben M (6-1), who may beat the morning-line favorite #3 Speed King (7-2) to the early lead. Dr Ruben M took four tries to break his maiden, but he graduated last out when racing a mile at Santa Anita while coming off a layoff and posted a 92 BRIS figure, the best dirt speed figure among today's field. #11 Mister Omaha (5-1) offers value as well. The Omaha Beach colt finished second on debut by a head, then built a three-win streak, including two victories in state-restricted non-graded stakes. Last out, he won by five lengths over a sloppy Remington Park track while racing a mile. Trainer Joe Offolter is a 21% winner in non-graded stakes and a 19% winner with horses that won their last race.